The Legend of the Bell
by RhiannonNymph
Summary: Some crazy old dude hands you a bell, says it's evil road spirits, and that makes sense?


**DISCLAIMER:** I own nothing in the realm of Supernatural. The actual "The Legend of the Bell" is a trademark of D'Pirate Distributing.

**SPOILERS:** Anything up to 'The Usual Suspects'.

I blame this tale on my step-father, his Harley and his bell. I changed a few facts in the Legend (it's supposed to only be for bikes, but I couldn't resist.)

Thanks to Maggie H. for letting me know the town!

Enjoy.

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**The Legend of the Bell**

"Come on, come on."

There was a sputtering noise, a pathetic rumble followed by the sounds of a cars engine failing to start.

"Dean…"

"I know." He turned the key again. He could not believe his car wasn't starting. "Come on baby." Pressed close to the steering wheel he turned the key again, nothing. His eyes flickered to side then rear view mirrors, looking for the flashing lights he could hear coming.

He hated working within city limits. He'd take a backwater town any day; at least there 'police force' usually meant a Sheriff and a deputy. In the city though, 'police force' meant just that – force. They came out en-masse; especially for shots fired in a normally quiet area. Take the Saint Louis incident, there were no shots, but hell, there were cops _everywhere_. And after his recent run in with the law in Baltimore…they knew he wasn't dead. They dug up that shape-shifter and probably sent a photo of Dean to every department between there and Baltimore. The last thing he needed was to get picked up again.

His frustrations flared and he turned the key so quickly and harshly he was surprised it hadn't broken, and his foot dropped like lead.

"Dean, you're going to flood it."

"I know how to drive my freakin' car, Sammy!"

One more turn and the starter clicked and caught and the Impala roared to life. Dean took off without backwards glance. Sam craned his neck around to watch out the back window – the flashing _redblue_ was just rounding the corner. They'd never see the Impala. The brothers allowed the silence to stretch until the city limits, when Sam broke it.

"That was close."

"Yeah." and Dean let the silence settle back, because his mind was otherwise occupied. His baby had only been back in the game a couple of weeks…what the hell could be wrong with her?

He drove until the gas gauge dropped dangerously low, he knew he shouldn't have had to refill the tank for at least another day or so. Despite everything, they hadn't traveled as far as normal and he was **not**leaking anything. He pulled into the first dusty gas station he found, slapped a few bills into Sam's hand, called him _woman _and sent him for snacks.

After a minute and about five dollars worth of gas the pump clicked and signified that the tank was full. Dean glared at the pump, like it was lying to him, and then double checked the gas gauge. It was still just barely above E. He put the pump back, closed the gas cap and made for the trunk. It opened with a squeal that was more than its normal age should allow. He grabbed a flash light and headed for the hood.

------

Sam noticed the hood of the car go up, paid and headed back to his brother, bag in hand.

"Why don't you just wait till morning?"

Dean looked up at him, aggravation written across his face, "The tank took five bucks but the gauge still says empty."

Sam's brows knit together and a 'huh' escaped his lips and Dean leaned back into the engine. Sam didn't know a whole lot about cars, didn't even try to pretend he did, but he knew that wasn't a good sign. And if something bad were happening to Impala, Dean was sure to be a grumpy man until he fixed it.

"Man, we can look at it in the morning. It's probably just a few wires, maybe we can find a pro-"

"She does not need a professional."

"Dude, all I'm saying is maybe there are some wires crossed or something."

His brother glared at him, "Get in the car."

On the way to the nearest motel, they nearly lost a tire. It was only just starting to go flat, and God love Dean for his love of the Impala, because Sam would never have been able to _feel_ the difference. He'd never been so grateful patch kit before either, because they sure as hell didn't have a spare. He doubted Dean would have left the car on the side of road like it was something common, to go find a spare, even if was coming right back.

She still didn't start with the first twist of her key, but she sounded better. Too bad the rest of her seemed to be falling apart at the mostly new soldered seams.

The next morning Sam woke as Dean was coming back into the room. Sun light was streaming in and Dean was up to ears in oil and grease.

"There's not a damn thing wrong with my car."

Not exactly the greeting Sam had expected, but okay. "Morning."

"Coffee's on the table." That was more the big brother he knew; worried as hell about his car but still thinking of his little brother. "I'm telling ya man, something's not right." He picked up his own, half empty cup, "I think she may be possessed."

Sam couldn't help laughing scoff that left him. If Dean can't figure it out, it's supernatural - of course. "By what?" he asked, making his way toward his brother and his own cup.

"I don't know. Something that really likes pissing me off."

"Right." He took a sip of his coffee and was actually surprised it was still a decent temperature.

"I turned her on this morning and her windshield wipers went off, got all kinds of static on the radio…"

Sam cut into his list, "And this isn't faulty wiring because?"

"I did all the wiring." He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"You're not an electrician Dean."

"Dude I know how to wire a car, I'm not an idiot. _Something is messing with her_."

"Yeah, okay."

------

Dean was getting more and more angry with every passing mile. They'd headed out after he cleaned himself up; the car had started and nothing 'extra' had occurred so he'd allowed himself a breath of relief as the left the parking lot.

The relief had been short lived. They'd gone to make the turn onto the main road out of town and the kid behind them, in the fancy little Mustang had almost clipped the Impalas rear. Dean had had half a mind to turn around and hunt the kid down, give him a few choice words. Then he realized his turn signals weren't working properly.

He had no idea what was going on. There was no way or reason for anything like this to be happening. He'd just rebuilt the entire car and everything had worked perfectly. _Perfectly_. He'd be damned if some invisible something or other ruined what he had left from his father. The Impala had been part of _normal_, part of _before_. Back when the family had four members, not two and Dean knew it was something he couldn't get back, but the memories weren't something he had to let be ruined either.

An hour into the drive and Dean caught Sam's hand reaching for the stereo. Toward the eject button. Sam must have seen him glance over because he practically begged, "Twenty minutes?"

"Fine."

Dean was glad for the smile Sam sent him and weary of the face he made moments later.

"Dean, man…."

He looked down to where Sam's hand hung suspended. He held Dean's favorite Metallica cassette that seemed leashed to the player. Sam tried to gently ease the tape that had been eaten out of the cassette player. He tightened his hands on the steering wheel to keep from grabbing the tape and chucking it out the window.

What. The. Hell.

"Man, I can't believe this." Why the hell did Sam think this was wiring?

------

Dean had pulled into the lot of the first motorcycle bar they came across. Sam almost couldn't believe it but it seemed like Dean just wanted to get away from the car. Maybe Dean was right…maybe something was going on, because they had never had this much trouble where the car was involved before.

The brothers spent a good hour or so inside, not really drinking, and Dean had taken to the dart board. He probably didn't need to throw them so hard. Sam made his way back to the bathroom, Dean caught his arm on the way and told him they were gonna head out then.

When Sam opened the front door of the bar, he could hear Dean before he saw him. The older man was swearing, using every word Sam had ever heard in tons of combinations he hadn't. He grimaced as he took in the few bikers that were hanging out, watching.

He was on his way over when one of the bikers stepped in his way. **_Oh, hell…._**

The man was as tall as Sam and older than their father had ever been. His hair was gray and windblown and his beard thick and laying on his chest. Sam wondered if he'd been a biker back in the 70's and had worn the same get up. His leather vest was worn and Sam would bet whatever scene was depicted on the back matched his American flag bandana.

"You with that boy?" he asked.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, he's my brother. I'm sorry for all the…you know, his car is-"

"Givin' ya troubles huh?"

Sam laughed, "Yeah." He dropped a few of the details and watched as Dean once more popped the hood of his car. They talked for a few minutes and Sam explained how Dean had just rebuilt the car, and things had suddenly started to happen. "A few hours back we got pulled over by a state trooper. He said we had a busted tail light."

Though the man hadn't said much, Sam found himself enjoying the mans company. "Yeah, well, she's a beaut. A real American classic." The man turned his attention from the Impala to Sam. "Bet them evil road spirits cling tight to something like that."

"What?" this man had just thrown Sam completely.

"Evil road spirits." The man fished around in one his pockets for a moment before he produced a little blue velvet bag. "It's a bell…"

------

Dean dropped the hood back down and looked over to Sam. "Has to make friends with everyone." He mumbled, "Sam lets go!" he shouted as he got into the car.

Sam gave an awkward looking good-bye and jogged over to the car. He got in and handed Dean a blue velvet bag, "Here."

"What's this?" he pulled the object out. It was a small, silver bell, no bigger than his thumb. There was a leather band threaded through the ring that held the bell. Its exterior was smooth and looked totally different compared to the rough interior and clangor that looked like someone had made a jagged bead of the silver metal. "A bell?"

"It supposed to…fix our problems." Dean could tell Sammy felt embarrassed trying to explain it, so he just stared at his baby brother until he continued. "That guy gave it to me. He thinks…he thinks we have evil road spirits." He rushed.

"We have what?" Dean almost laughed. He hoped his tone asked Sam to tell him he misheard, because that just sounded stupid.

"Evil road spirits. It's mostly a biker thing but…anyway, they love to ride bikes, classic cars, and they mess with stuff. A Car battery, blinkers, radios…"

"Wait, wait." Dean interrupted and turned to face his brother, "I say something is messing with her, you say it's the wiring. Some crazy old dude hands you bell, says it's evil road spirits, and _that_ makes sense?"

Sam was ignoring him, "They're like little, gremlins, or something and-"

"So Gizmo's living in my car? What if it rains?" he wanted to get through this without laughing, it was just so funny. "And they have a food thing too, right?"

"_And_ they're supposed to have really sensitive hearing. They get trapped in the bell, go crazy and fall off." He motioned to the bell in Dean's hand. "The power is supposed to be doubled if someone gives you a bell." Like that made any of it sound less ridiculous.

Silence enfolded them, then there was Dean's laughter. "Dude."

"Look, okay, maybe there is something messing with the car. I'm sorry I didn't think so at first, can we just try this and see what happens."

Dean smiled at his brother, "Where the hell am I supposed to put it?"

"I don't know. It has to be able to ring."

"Fantastic." Dean looked at the bell and out over the hood of his baby. If it meant that the car would start and keep going, problem free, he'd give it a shot. He rang the bell a few times and kept doing it while he turned the car on.

It clicked and caught. He smiled. Then saw Sam smiling at him. "Shut up." He handed Sam the bell, "Hang it somewhere on your side."

Sam tied it onto the door handle; there was just enough room for it to jingle. Dean watched him, wondering where in world they'd picked up road gremlins to begin with. He figured it didn't really matter so long as the bell worked. He pulled the car onto the road, kicking up the gravel as he went.

Not even a mile down the road, "That's going to get annoying real quick."

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The End.

I hope you all liked it. Please review!!! I looove reviews. Thanks!


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